Into the Abyss
by Ratface721
Summary: It's the rewrite of "Eye of the Beholder" featuring a femNaruto. Hopefully this one is more detailed and plausible. Summary: At four, she thought her smile had no power. At five, she met her prisoner. And it was then that things started to changed.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Prince of Tennis.

Author's Note: This is the rewritten version of "Eye of the Beholder." It's been so long since I've written it that I kind of lost sight of what I was writing. Plus, I'm not very satisfied with how much I've powered up Naruto and her friends. So here's to Effort #2!

Have fun and I hope you enjoy!

"This is normal conversation."

_These are thoughts._

**These are demonic (bijuu) voices.**

-Into the Abyss~~~~Chapter 1-

October 12, XXXX. Konoha Village

The sealing was done. The Kyuubi was gone and the village safe. It was the time for celebrating, yet how could he be happy when his successor was now dead? The Sandaime Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, sat in his chair, heading the council meeting once more. To his right sat the heads of the ninja clans and the left held the civilian council. Both sides were shouting, trying to get their voice heard, while he sat back and looked at them with hooded eyes.

The slight fidgeting from his lap captured his attention. Not even a week old, Uzumaki Naruto was bundled on his lap without a care in the world or not even realizing that today could be last for her. Slowly, cerulean blue eyes, _so familiar to his_, opened as the shouting woke her from her sleep. Sandaime caressed the downy soft tuff of hair on her head, attracting the attention of the bickering council and clan members. Noticing the lack of volume, the Sandaime looked up to see the wary glances of his shinobi, the calculating ones from Danzo, Hyuuga, and Uchiha heads, and the poorly hidden glares of the civilians.

In a velvety smooth voice, he spoke, "Are you all done with the yelling? It's time to start this meeting."

Not wanting to be the one who evokes the God of Shinobi's wrath, the civilian and shinobi heads sat down. Satisfied with the temporary peace, the Hokage spoke once again.

"You are all gathered here today to discuss the future of Uzumaki Naruto. As I am sure you are all aware, there have been rumors floating about the village and I am addressing them now."

"Then…that child is really the.." One civilian head tried to say before being cut off by Sarutobi while receiving a quelling glare.

"As I was saying, this child is Uzumaki Naruto. She is the keeper of the seal. A jinchuriki."

Mutterings from the shinobi side could be heard. Most of them were aware of the existence of jinchuriki but not exactly where they were located. Rumors of their power were spoken with some envy but even more with fear.

Danzo answered the unasked question floating around. "Do you mean to say that the child is the jinchuriki of the nine tails, Kyuubi?"

"What? That child is the Kyuubi? Hokage-sama, why is that thing still alive then?" Haruno Daisuke spluttered angrily. More muttering broke out only with more demands for the Kyuubi's death. A cold killer intent pressed down into the room. Those that could do so, stared at their revered leader.

An intense look entered his face. "This child, Uzumaki Naruto, is not a thing nor is she the Kyuubi. She is its jinchuriki. To put it into simpler terms, she is the scroll that holds the sealed kunai."

"What…what is to be done with her the, Hokage-sama?" Nara Shikaku asked with an even voice.

"Ah yes," Danzo said. "A child will such power at her disposable would be best as the village's weapon. If you'd like, I would volun-"

"No. She is not to be a weapon." Hiruzen harshly interrupted. "Minato asked that she be treated like a hero. Naruto-chan will not be a soulless weapon. For anyone."

"Then what is to be done with the child?" Uchiha Fugaku said, sneering at the last word.

The Sandaime sighed softly. "She is to be placed into the orphanage where she will live until she enters the academy." His voice hardened before staring down his council. "However, Uzumaki Naruto's status as a jinchuriki and holder of the Kyuubi is an S class secret. Those that reveal it shall be executed for treason. Am I understood?"

"Yes sir!" The voices cried out. The council was dismissed and the Sandaime sat alone in his chair with a sleepy baby in his lap for a companion. A soft cough interrupted his thoughts.

Recognizing his chief tactician's chakra signature, he didn't bother looking up but continued to rock the baby back to sleep.

"Is this wise Hokage-sama?"

"It's all I can do, Shikaku-san. I just hope she can have a normal life."

Nara Shikaku rubbed his head before walking away from his leader. His low voice was still audible to the Hokage. "But will it be enough?"

_I can only hope._ The Sandaime was lost to his thoughts as he held the last remainder of his successor's memory.

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Three days later.

The Sandaime was sitting in his office dealing with his worst enemy: paperwork. A soft knock on his door interrupted his thoughts before the intruder entered.

The anbu held in his arms Uzumaki Naruto. The only odd parts to the picture were his bloodied Inu mask and the blood dripping from his clothing.

"So another attempt has occurred?" The Sandaime asked in a weary voice.

"Yes sir," Inu responded. "This is the fourth attempt this morning. Overall, it has been 27 tries since the council meeting, sir."

Sarutobi's eyes glared at nothing in particular, yet the anbu was feeling the cold intent coming from the man. Even little Naruto started fidgeting from the chilly atmosphere. It stopped.

"Inform the council and anbu that there will be an all-village meeting in three hours. Send out messengers to alert the villagers. It's time that we've corrected this."

"Yes sir!" Inu said before giving his leader the baby.

The villagers gathered in front of the Hokage tower. They looked up to see their revered leader and several of his loyal anbu positioned around him. The crowd got quiet as he made the signal to begin speaking.

"There have been rumors that the child in my arms is the Kyuubi. This is not true. She is the jailer of the tailed beast. The Yondaime sacrificed his life for the village and wished for you to treat the child as a hero." He paused.

Before he could speak again, angry shouting could be heard from the crowd.

"That's no hero! That's a monster!"

"Kill the Kyuubi! Revenge for all our loved ones!"

"Kill the beast before it grows old enough to kill us all!"

More shouting and then the throwing of rocks started. The Hokage shunshined out of the open and into his office. His anbu guards followed while other squads were ordered to take care of amassing mob.

It had been two days since his announcement and already the threats to the Uzumaki child had tripled. His guards had just captured the 20th person to attempt the murder of the baby. Fearing for the baby's life, the Sandaime made a decree that the status of Uzumaki Naruto as a jinchuriki was an S-class secret to be maintained by the whole village, shinobi and civilians alike. The addendum to his decree was that no one may share the secret to any others.

The Sandaime thought it would give the baby a chance to make friends with those in her generation or new citizens in the future.

Unfortunately, such naïve thinking can only work in a ideal world.

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Four years later.

A four year old girl was walking down the streets of Konoha. Her sunshine-spun hair was matted with dried mud and grass twigs were sticking out of it. The unkempt clothing was well worn with small stains here and there. Downcast sea blue eyes looked dully ahead while uninterested ears heard the whispers around her.

"That's the thing. Uzumaki Naruto is its name. Don't go near it."

"Listen son,, don't play with that girl. I'll give you a cookie if you don't." "Ok, papa!"

"Look at her mocking us with those whiskers of hers. How…"

Tired of the whispers, the damning voices, and cold glares, Naruto broke out into a run. Uncaring feet raced across the streets of Konoha and pass the shops and into the more run-down neighborhoods. A sudden bump into the person coming out of the nearby store stopped her mindless run. Naruto looked up.

A shinobi and his civilian girlfriend looked at her. _Don't! Stop looking at me with those eyes!_ Naruto wanted to shout before noticing the bags on the ground. Realizing that the couple had dropped their bags, the child grabbed and lifted the bags to them. She smiled at them.

The couple stepped a few steps back. Naruto's smile faltered before returning to its brightness, although a bit dimmed.

"Um, you dropped these." Naruto said shyly.

The girl scoffed in disgust. The shinobi sneered at Naruto. Both had been old enough to remember the day of the Kyuubi attack. Both had lost family and loved ones that day. Both considered Naruto to be less than human.

"Anything touched by you is no longer of any value." The shinobi said. "Let's go Leiko."

The girl smirked before grabbing her boyfriend's arm. She turned to look at Naruto who still held their abandoned bags. "Those whiskers and smile of yours are even trashier. I guess trash goes with trash."

Both of them laughed as they walked away. Naruto stared at them as they left. How long she remained there, she did not know. Only when the shop owner came outside and started swatting his broom at her did she leave.

Naruto walked aimlessly until she reached a small stream and a bridge. It was fall and getting chillier by the day. She sat down by the bank and only just realized that she was still carrying the bags.

"I'm not ugly, am I?" Naruto asked to herself before looking at her reflection in the water. She scooped some water out to wash her hair and face.

"I have two eyes, a nose, and mouth like everyone else." She said before smiling wide. "My teeth are white and round like everyone else so why doesn't anyone like looking at me or talking to me? Is it because of my whiskers? But Jiji says he thinks they're nice..."

Naruto smacked her cheeks to forget the bad memories. Instead, she got curious about her new haul. There were two bags. One was full of cloths and the other had books.

"A Beginner's Guide to Sealing and "The Basics of Being a Ninja." Naruto read before taking a closer look at the cloth. Her eyes widened when she realized what it was. She read the tag out loud.

"Cloth Masks for Children. Ages 4-9. Adjustable for those ages." Naruto squealed to herself. _Maybe if I wear this, then no one will hate me because of my whiskers._ Of course, Naruto realized that she couldn't very well eat with it on but decided to practice that later. Gathering her haul, Naruto made her way to a small hidden forest. A few days ago, the headmistress had kicked the little Uzumaki out of the orphanage so she had been staying in the forest since.

It was a week and a half before the Sandaime realized that it was a little too quiet in the village. There had been no new attempts made on Naruto's life or any of his anbu reporting of them. Having an uneasy feeling concerning a certain blond, Hiruzen made his way to the orphanage where he finally learned the truth. An enraged Sandaime called for his anbu squads to search for the missing child.

Inuzuka Tsume and her partner Kuromaru were the ones to find their target. At first the two were wary of approaching the girl and were unsure if it was her.

"Kuromaru, are you sure that's her?" Tsume asked in a disbelieving voice. Her partner grunted in confirmation after taking a sniff to be sure. "Hokage-sama has been looking for you, Uzumaki-san."

The child nodded before packing up her few belongings. She gathered to books she had kept, cloth masks, and random bits of things she had picked up in town. Tsume grabbed the child before informing the ninken to alert the rest of the tracking teams of their results and shunshined to the Hokage's office.

Overcome with relief to see his surrogate granddaughter safe, the Hokage reached out and gave her a tight hug. It was after that he noticed the small changes.

The once mid-back length hair had been hacked into short spikes like a boy's. The joyous smile that used to make his day was covered with a cloth mask similar to Hatake Kakashi's. As a result, her six whiskers were also covered. Her clothing were truly worn thin with holes showing small patches of skin.

The Hokage dropped to his knees when he saw the once smiling eyes of the child were shielding her true emotions like a veteran shinobi. Tsume felt her alpha's grief yet could do nothing but stand aside as he shook.

Naruto paced closer before patting her Jiji's shoulder. Sarutobi looked up at her, saw the slight reassurance in her eyes, and smiled back at her. And that's when Naruto realized that smiling was a lot more powerful than a glare.

_If only my smile had the same power_….She thought before sending off her heart into the abyss. Too many times had her smile been rejected. Too many times had she been condemned before her feelings were shattered. Too many times she had opened her heart and had it crushed. And Sarutobi Hiruzen never realized it.

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Within the seal, the slumbering beast started to wake.

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And that's the first chapter of the re-write of "Eye of the Beholder." The pace of Naruto's development is going to be slower but hopefully more believable than in its predecessor.

Just so you know, Naruto is a girl in this story if you weren't able to tell. Thanks for reading!

Updated 3/4/11


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Don't own any of the manga or anime I base my stories off of: Naruto and Prince of Tennis.

Enjoy this latest installment! I'm on spring break so hopefully I get some more chapters out this week before going back to class!

Author's Note:As far as I can tell, there are four kinds of Japanese bills**: 10,000 yen, 5,000 yen, 2,000 yen, and 1,000 yen. **There are six kinds of coins**: 500 yen, 100 yen, 50 yen, 10 yen, 5 yen, and 1 yen. **

This is regular conversation.

_These are thoughts._

**These are demonic/bijuu voices.**

-"Into the Abyss"-Chapter 2-

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"And this is where you'll be staying from now on, Naruto." Hiruzen huffed before taking a puff of his pipe. The small girl beside him quietly observed the empty house. It was small but suitable for one occupant. It was a one story house with a spacious backyard. Trees outlined the perimeter and there was a small pond in the far left corner.

Inside the house, there were seven rooms in total: the kitchen, living room, master bedroom, two extra rooms, and two bathrooms. The master bedroom had a connecting bathroom while the kitchen opened up to the living room. Two wide windows in the living room revealed the backyard scenery as the sunlight hit through the glass and brightened the area.

"Is there anyone else living nearby?" The girl asked softly. It seemed that she didn't want to raise her hopes of having neighbors near her. She was either worried that they might be nice to her, or worse, treat her like a monster. It was hard to tell when her face was facing the floor and away from the observant Hokage.

"No. It seems that you're the only occupant around this area. This area has been abandoned for some time" He replied with some reluctance. After all, she was barely four and a half, and yet, he was allowing for her to live by herself. _The orphanage has proven to be unreliable and no foster homes will continue to take her in for long periods of time. Damn it, Minato. If only you could see the village that you saved now. How disappointed you would be._ The Sandaime thought while smoking his pipe. "Although you are young, I'm hoping that you prove responsible enough to live by yourself."

Naruto looked up at the man she considered family and gave a hidden grin. The action was still noticeable behind the mask though. "Come on, Jiji. I lived on my own in the forest before anyone realized it. I think I can handle it now with real power and water!"

The Sandaime chuckled before handing her the present he had bought. "Consider this a housewarming gift."

The blond girl 'oohed' and 'awed' before taking the gift. She hurriedly opened it. It was actually not one but two separate gifts. The top box had a blue comforter, some fluffy blankets, and two soft pillows while the bottom held books. As she read the titles to herself silently, the Hokage continued to speak.

"'Eventually you'll be entering the Academy. So I thought it wouldn't be such a bad idea if you received the books now to start preparing." He said and waited for her to pay attention to him once more before continuing. "It's going to get colder again soon so I figured you'd like some extra blankets and pillows to snuggle up to."

Naruto smiled so widely that her eyes became squinted. She ran up to her grandfather and gave him a tight hug. "Thank you! I'll take good care of them!"

"Ah. But before I forget," Hiruzen muttered. "This is a gift from Inuzuka Tsume. She's the one who found you that time."

Naruto looked quizzically at him. "The wild looking lady with the dog?"

"Yes. She heard that I was assigning this land to you and bought a gift for you as well." He said before finding the exact scroll that held the gift on his persons. Once he did, he released the storage scroll; several books appeared after the smoke cleared.

"Tsume-san had heard that you liked to read so she gathered these books. Her exact words were, I think, 'If the pup is going to live by herself, she might as well learn how to do so properly.'" the Sandaime finished with a chuckle.

The blond jinchuriki tuned out his ramblings as she picked up the unexpected present: How to Cook a Simple Meal: Konoha Style!, Caring for Your Own Garden: Vol. 1 & 2, Do's and Don'ts of Housecleaning, and finally, Money Management for Dummies. Naruto clutched the books to her chest. _There is someone who doesn't hate me! _She thought before her eyes started to tear up. Naruto's sniffling caught the Hokage's attention and his eyes widen in alarm before scooping up his surrogate granddaughter in concern.

"I thought you'd be happy?"

"I am!" Naruto responded before wiping her nose on her sleeve. "It's just that I'm too happy."

Sarutobi softened his face when he realized what his charge was feeling. "You know, Naruto. Not everyone hates you. It's just that a lot of them are confused and unsure of what's really the truth."

"Then why do they hate me? Do you know Jiji?"

The Sandaime looked sadly at her before replying. "I'm sorry Naruto, but you're too young to know. One day, in the future, I'll tell you."

Naruto nodded before nuzzling her grandfather's cheek. Then she motioned for him to let her down. After reaching into his pocket one last time, Sarutobi took out a packet and gave it to Naruto. The girl opened it to and saw several bills in it.

"You'll receive a monthly stipend from the Konoha Orphan Fund. This is the first. Use it wisely." He ruffled her head before speaking again. "Don't worry about the electricity or water bill. I've already handled that for the first year. We'll speak again after that."

Naruto nodded dumbfound. Seeing that his tasks were completed, the Hokage gave the girl one last hug before leaving. There were still stacks of paperwork to handle after all.

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The next day, the sun shone brightly through the curtains and woke a certain sleeping blond. Slowly, Naruto's eyes began to open and she was slightly puzzled as to where she was at until the events from the previous day were remembered.

"That's right," she whispered excitedly, "I've got my own place now."

She jumped out of her bed and ran to the bathroom. She hesitantly turned the knob of the faucet, half-unsure if any water would appear. It did. _This isn't a dream! I really have my own place now!_ The girl hurriedly brushed her teeth and washed her face before heading into the living room.

The area was sparse with the books received the day before spread out on the floor. Her small bundle of belongings was set against the wall. Naruto arched an eyebrow at the two unfamiliar boxes near the small couch that came with the pre-furnished house. With a carefulness suited for a suspicious, adult ninja, Naruto warily opened the boxes to reveal clothing that were in her size. The note on top allayed her suspicions.

"Your wardrobe seems a bit lacking so here's a few additional outfits to add to it. Sandaime"

Inside one of the boxes were three green t-shirts, two long-sleeve red ones, and two blue tees with the Uzumaki swirl on it. Underneath them were some undergarments, five pants, and three shorts. There were no skirts or dresses. _Jiji knows me so well_. In the second box, there was a pair of ninja sandals and boots. The sandals were the standard blue and the boots black.

After picking up her clothes, she stacked her books beside her on the table and started to read them. Her attention was so into the books that she didn't notice time passing by until it was well into the night. Having been used to irregular feeding times, i.e. not being fed, Naruto barely noticed her hunger and ate a ramen cup out of habit before heading to sleep.

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"It's almost been a week since I've started living here and I'm still cleaning!" Naruto complained before pulling out yet another weed out of her backyard. Luckily for her, the front yard was pretty small, but the backyard more than made up for it! Her grumbling was interrupted by a knock on her door and some unfamiliar chakra signatures. _Looks like reading and practicing the academy books are actually starting to help. Who knew learning about chakra could actually be fun?_ Naruto thought before making her way to the door. She opened it and saw a tall man with a scar on his face. His hair was up in a ponytail and his hand was holding a basket.

"Hello. You must be Uzumaki Naruto." The man said. "I'm Nara Shikaku."

Naruto nodded hesitantly in reply but did not offer the man inside. She wasn't too sure of his intentions and she was ready to close the door on him at any time.

Shrewd eyes catalogued the girl's wary behavior and thought it disappointing for one so young to be so suspicious. _So unlike that lazy kid of mine, Shikamaru_. Shikaku mentally sighed before speaking again. "Hokage-sama told me that you had bought the neighboring land next to ours." Seeing the puzzled look on her face, the Nara head explained, "The next direct neighbor to you is the Nara clan. However, we own and tend to large acres of forest so it's not even possible to spot our houses due to the surrounding trees."

Naruto nodded once more before asking him what he was doing here.

"This is a welcoming gift." The deer man said. "Tsume-san told me what she gave you so here's some seeds and stuff for your garden."

Naruto hesitantly grabbed the basket and thanked him. Before taking his leave, Shikaku gave one last parting statement to her. "If you ever feel bored, come by for a visit."

The small child stood in her doorway for a little longer watching the man leave. She was still standing there long after Shikaku left the premises of her property. When a slightly chilly breeze blew towards her, Naruto broke out of her daze and went back inside her house. The blond jinchuriki looked at the basket and the seed packets inside: strawberry, watermelon, cucumber, tomato, pumpkin, lettuce, onions, spinach, potato, and beets. Naruto's eyes widened when she realized she wouldn't have to buy the nearly rotten fruits from the stores ever again. She could actually eat well for a change! She clutched her newfound bounty and cried a little more. _Maybe there is more to this village than I thought. Maybe there are more people out there that don't hate me!_ Naruto sniffled before returning to the backyard. She renewed her efforts to clear the area of weeds in order to start her garden as soon as possible. _It's like these weeds are in league with the paperwork monsters in Jiji's office or something. _She giggled to herself.

As she hummed to herself, the day passed by quietly. Meanwhile, the hidden anbu quietly left his post when his replacement came and reported to the Hokage about the meeting.

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Inside the seal, a kitsune watched and waited and grinned. **Very interesting.**

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That's it for chapter 2!

Naruto learns that there's more than one type of Konoha villager out there and that not all of them hate her! She's been exposed to both the Inuzuka and Nara clan even though it's only just Tsume and Shikaku. (This is for future development). And now Kyuubi is awake and rearing to go. Oh no, what is going to happen next?

Reading and Reviewing is always appreciated. Flames are not necessary and no one is making you read this. Constructive criticism is okay though.

Updated 3-8-11


	3. Chapter 3

Wow! It's been a while! This is the slower, rewritten version of "Eye of the Beholder." Between school and lack of inspiration…and that lovely thing called procrastination…this is the third chapter final posted.

FYI: I live in the United States and am so used to its monetary system rather than Japan's. I have no idea how to convert cost from American to Japanese costs, so I'm sticking with American monetary system. So don't be freaked out if you see dollars in the story!

"This is normal conversation."

_These are thoughts._

**Bijuu (demon) voices/speaking/thoughts**

Enjoy!

++++++++++Chapter 3+++++++++++

February 20 XX05

It had been a little over four months since Naruto had moved into her humble abode. Besides Shikaku-san, no one had visited the girl since she had moved there. Every once in a while, Naruto could have sworn that she felt eyes on her but whenever she would turn around to check, no one would be there.

Whenever she would mention her feelings to the Hokage on their ritual weekend outings, he would only chuckle and pat her on the head. After all, it wouldn't do for Naruto to realize that Anbu was keeping tabs on her under his orders.

It was once again morning and Naruto already finished watering her plants and garden. She had already begun her daily routine of stretching and exercising. Naruto glanced around to look at her property as she did so. Already, the front and back yards looked much healthier with the weeds gone and proper maintenance being applied. Over the course of the weeks, besides gardening, Naruto had begun reading the various books in her possession. The ones to especially catch her attention were the ones on the basics on being a ninja and money management. Even as a four year old, Naruto knew that one of the most important factors of life was money. Naruto calculated how much it cost to buy from the market vs. growing her own groceries and realized that the only thing she really needed from there were the meats, fishes, grains, and dairy products. And since none of her clothes had yet to be outgrown and needed to be replaced, along with the monthly orphan stipend, the blondie was actually building quite a nest egg.

Of course, the thing that the book suggested she do was invest in worthwhile and profitable causes and/or open a savings account. Which led to her present dilemma as she finished her stretching: what should she do? _I can't open a bank account quite yet because no way will anyone there serve me in a honest way_. Naruto frowned underneath her mask. She proceeded to run laps around her back yard as she tried to think of a possible solution. She received a monthly stipend for food, clothing, and basic essentials. Electricity and water bills were automatically paid for by the Hokage's department and she didn't waste money on second-grade products at the market. Naruto calculated the amount of money she had on hand to put on the bank and was amazed at the total. _Wow, I didn't even realize it but I have a bit more money that I had thought. Let's see, I get $500 dollars each month from the stipend. I only really spend $150 on food since I grow my own and catch my own fish in the river as well as the traps I have in the forest…and since I haven't bought any new clothes or much books, I have about…$1,200 to put into the account. In case of emergencies, I'll keep a bit on hand and start an savings account for $1,000 instead._

Naruto was actually pretty surprised at her musings and slowed down her jogging to cool her body down. After all, the book said that it was better to take things slowly when students were as young as she was. Naruto stood in her yard, thinking about what to do, when she felt it again. No, it wasn't the usually eyes that she felt staring holes in her back whenever they thought she didn't notice. Naruto rolled her eyes. _I don't know how Jiji didn't think I would realize that he put watchers on me. I think he's going barmy from doing all that paperwork after all._ No, these eyes weren't the curious and watchful ones that she was used to. These eyes felt more malevolent…darker in a way. A sudden chilly breeze blew towards her and clouds shadowed the sun. Naruto looked around and noticed that the sky had actually been darkening and the mood outside was turning stormy without her realizing. Shivering, Naruto walked back inside her house, hoping to warm up.

After her shower, Naruto made her way into the kitchen to make herself some lunch. The curtains in the living room were drawn and thunder could be heard. Rain was falling down harshly and every once in a while lightning could be seen flashing in the background. It made the vague outlines in the curtains seem just a bit creepier to the four year old.

Naruto actually enjoyed storms. It made everything smell fresher and more energizing outside afterwards. But this…this storm was foreboding. _It doesn't seem natural. It seems ill-omened_. Naruto shuddered once again and gasped when the lights flickered. _Please. Please don't die on me._ Unfortunately, her pleas were left unheard as the electricity went out during the storm. A soft squeak could be heard upstairs. Naruto stilled. Another soft squeak could be heard. The only places that really squeaked were the stairs and entrance way. And Naruto knew that she was alone. Wasn't she?

Naruto snuck into the kitchen. For once, the dark was actually helping her. She grabbed one of the knives out of the sink where she had made lunch in what seemed ages ago. She made her way back into the living room. The child hid near the bookcase near the windows, while she continued to hear footsteps come all the more closer.

She held her breath. Soft yet harsh breathing slowly started to make its way around the room. Naruto knew it couldn't have been a shinobi because the invader's actions were too noticeable, too amateur to be anything but a civilian. _And here I thought they couldn't touch me here. I thought I was safe_. Naruto cried softly to herself. Then suddenly a flash of lightning appeared and her lone assailant and she stared at each other before he jumped at her. Naruto dodged and moved before the knife…no…kunai of her attacker struck her. Unfortunately, in her haste, she left behind her knife. While her assailant tried to recover his balance, Naruto opened her window and ran outside to the back. The wind was howling and the rain felt chillingly cold. Her would-be attacker grabbed the fallen knife and charged after her. A roar of anger escaped his mouth. Startled, Naruto slipped in a patch of mud and her would-be attacker soon caught up with her.

Naruto screamed and raised her arms up in a futile attempt to try to protect herself. Blood splattered. But…_I don't hurt at all. Is death supposed to be painless like this? _Naruto thought to herself before opening her eyes. They widened. An Anbu was in front of her and had stabbed his kunai into the assailant's chest. It had been his blood that she had felt.

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So yea! That's Chapter 3. Hope it was descriptive enough?

12/13/11


	4. Chapter 4

Into the Abyss

Disclaimer: I own no animes including Naruto.

FYI: I live in the United States and am so used to its monetary system rather than Japan's. I have no idea how to convert cost from American to Japanese costs, so I'm sticking with American monetary system. So don't be freaked out if you see dollars in the story!

"This is normal conversation."

_These are thoughts._

**Bijuu (demon) voices/speaking/thoughts**

Enjoy!

P.S. A familiar character guest stars and might become a regular OOC guest star. Can you catch it? They aren't too well hidden.

=================Chapter 4====================

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Naruto woke up and all she saw was white. _Wait, white? _Naruto sat up and sure enough, it was all white around her. A familiar looking medical device next to her made her groan and realize where she was. It was the hospital. _Ugh. I hate the hospital. Of all the damn places…wait I'm not injured. Why am I even here? _Naruto complained to herself. The door to the room opened and the Sandaime Hokage entered.

"Ah, finally awake I see," he said. A relieved smile showed on his wrinkled face. Waking up in the hospital..again!...didn't make Naruto all that cheerful.

She frowned. "What am I doing here, Jiji?"

The Hokage's smile turned down a bit at the abrupt question. He could sense her moodiness and knew that the hospital was definitely not on her top twenty places to be at. "Yesterday, if you recall, there was a sudden thunderstorm. Unfortunately, the main Konoha Electrical Plant was struck by lightning and caught on fire. The fire was too big for the patrolling shinobi assigned to that section to handle and all available Anbu were called to help subdue it. I am sad to say that the ones assigned to watch over you had also been deployed as well and left you vulnerable. Luckily, one of the older Anbus who was heading towards the plant en route by your home heard your scream and was able to come to your rescue."

Naruto's face scrunched up as she remembered the events of yesterday. She remembered the red, bloated face of her attacker. The body more fat than muscle. The movements more likely for a civilian than a shinobi. And she clearly remembered the words he said to her before he raised the knife and had her screaming.

"Yeah, I remember. He was a civilian, wasn't he?" Naruto asked. "How come he attacked me?"

The Hokage sighed. It had been about four months since the last obvious attack and Hiruzen felt that it was too soon to let the child know the truth. So he settled for a half-truth instead.

"The civilian was drunk and depressed over dark and sad memories. He was probably out of his mind when he decided to attack you."

Naruto looked over at the man she considered to be her grandfather. She stared straight in his eyes as he told her this. And she bore it all in silence. The sun-kissed child turned to face the window and decided to change to subject. "So did I faint out of shock or something?"

Feeling that the potential disaster was averted, the Hokage gladly took to changes in topic with relief. "Yes, between the adrenaline crash and shock overall, you fainted. Luckily, Tora-san was able to subdue the attacker and call for reinforcements before taking you here. There's nothing wrong with you, but I decided to keep you here overnight just in case."

Naruto grimaced before turning to look back at the Hokage. She pouted, "Hate the hospital. You owe me for this old man!"

Hiruzen chuckled outwardly while inwardly bemoaning the fate of his wallet. The girl was a mere wisp of a figure (exaggerating much!) and ate ramen like an Akimichi coming off a diet. "I guess we could go for ramen when you get out."

"No."

The Hokage stopped chuckling. He looked more intently at the child he considered to be like another grandchild. _Naruto? Not want ramen? I better get a mind healer here quick. Obviously that attack was more damaging than I had realized._

"-me there. Are you listening Jiji?" Naruto huffed when she realized that he wasn't paying attention to her. She threw a pillow at him, which he caught in surprise. He looked back at her with more attention.

"I said I wanted to open a savings account at the bank. So take me there instead." The girl said to him. _After all, with Jiji there, they wouldn't dare try to cheat me._

Hiruzen blinked in surprised twice. He smiled once he realized that Naruto was actually alright and that his wallet was safe for another weekend. "We'll go after you get out today then."

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After making a quick stop to collect her money, the duo made their way to the bank. The Bank Manager came out personally to welcome their reverent leader and controlled himself in front of the two.

"Ah, Hokage-sama, How can First Leaf Bank help you today? A loan for a new house? A loan to buy a new hot springs…."

Before the manager could offer more of his sales pitches and continue on, Hiruzen hastily interrupted him. He remembered the last time the charismatic salesman convinced him to buy something. Yes, it did pay off after a while but the scolding he had received from his daughter managed to make his ears ring for days. "Ah, not today Kyouya-san. I'm here because Naruto-chan was interested in opening an account. So I offered to take her here and show her the ropes."

Naruto looked up shyly at the man and gathering all her courage, she stuck out her hand. "Uzumaki Naruto. I hope that we get along well, Kyoya-san."

The manager looked at her. Unknown to many, Ootori Kyoya was the child of a Nara and had the speedy brain processes of one. When his reverent leader had walked in with the child known to hold the Kyuubi, he had thought of all the possibilities were to why they were here. One of which was that the young Uzumaki wanted to open an account.

When the Kyuubi jinchuriki stuck out her hand and introduced herself, he couldn't help but let out a soft laugh. He gently grabbed it and shook it. "Ootori Kyoya, but call me Kyoya-san."

Naruto let out a sigh of relief when he let go of her hand. The Hokage smiled as he watched the two interact. He knew that out of all the people at the bank, Kyoya would treat Naruto well and handle her money honestly. No one would try to give him grief for trying to help the "demon" child as well. After all, there was a reason why no one messed with the "Shadow Demon" of Konoha.

"Hokage-sama, I'm sure that you have plenty of paperwork to do. So I'll just take Uzumaki-san to my office and we'll work out the papers ourselves." Kyoya said in a soft tone. Naruto looked between the two and vocalized her agreement as well. Hiruzen sighed. He had been hoping to avoid doing the paperwork for a few more hours, but alas, it seemed that fate was working against him once more.

The atmosphere in the bank seemed to grow a bit darker as many of the other workers and clients worked up the courage to glare at the blonde now that their leader had left. Naruto shuffled a bit closer to the older man and grabbed his hand for comfort. Kyoya looked down at her in surprise. Tugging her along to his office, he ushered her inside. Before he closed the door, he looked around the whole establishment and pushed up his glasses. The light glinting off his glasses, his glare, and his frown made the other workers shudder in fear and return to working. The other clients hurriedly averted their gaze. A smirk appeared on Kyoya's face when he turned to enter his room and closed the door. An audible sigh of relief echoed outside his office. The people outside had collective thoughts. _Forget the Kyuubi, Kyoya is way scarier!_

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Later that night, Naruto settled into her bed. She thought about her new financial advisor. Instead of putting all her money into a savings account, Kyoya-nii had convinced to also let him invest some of her money into some potential outlets as well.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~-Flashback-~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I know that you had planned on putting everything into a savings account, but investing in some stocks and businesses will help increase your financial portfolio as well." Kyoya advised to Naruto. Both were sipping on some tea and Naruto placed down her cracker to think.

The child frowned and thought carefully. "It sounds nice and all, but why?"

Kyoya's glasses glinted before he proceeded to lecture her. "Konoha's economy has always been one of the stronger ones amongst the elemental countries. There are many thriving businesses both in and out of Fire Country. And with a more diverse financial portfolio, it also makes for a more attractive dowry or retirement safety net if you ever have to retire from the ninja corps earlier than planned…"

Naruto's eyes had started to glaze over as the manager continued to give his reasons and quickly interrupted when he paused to take a breath. "I appreciate all your help, but the villagers hate me. If they find out that I'm trying to buy into their business, they'll kick me out for sure."

Kyoya looked at the forlorn girl before him and smirked. His deep laughter shocked Naruto, and if asked only under intense torture, would she say that she was seriously freaked out by the ominous aura shadowing from behind the man.

"Don't worry. Leave everything to me." Kyoya looked at her sharply and Naruto quickly shook her head in agreement. Were those horns peeking out above his head?

As Naruto prepared to leave to office, Kyoya asked her one finally question. "What do you think about the name, Kazuma Arashi?"

Naruto frowned thoughtfully and shrugged. "Sounds fine to me. Can't really say much when my own name means fishcake or maelstrom."

The older man chuckled. "Good, because soon Kazuma Arashi will be investing into some markets in the future." He gave his newest, and youngest, client a pointed look.

Naruto quickly caught on and grinned under her mask. She gave him a sudden bow. "I look forward to working with you in the future, Kyoya-nii."

And that's how Naruto ended up with a financial advisor with a reputation scarier than her own. Not that Naruto knew of course…Only several years into the future would she realize how fearsome her advisor was. And it would only many years into the future would she learn that she had made a powerful ally in Ootori Kyoya when she had shyly grabbed in hand all those years ago.

~~~~~~~========End Flashback========~~~~~~~~

As Naruto started to drift into deeper sleep, one last memory floated into her mind. The man that had attacked her before had said something to her. Something that made her realize that the Hokage wasn't being all that truthful with her. His words struck some chord in her: "_You're not human. Just the Kyuubi! You killed my fiancé all those years ago!_"

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As Naruto settled into a troubled sleep…inside the seal, a nine-tailed kitsune waited in anticipation. "**Looks like things are getting very interesting."** Although, he too had shuddered when he felt the ominous aura from the banker. **"If there's one thing I'm would worry about ticking off, it's bankers. All those loans and debts and financial lingo!"** The bijuu's mood turned sour as he remembered long ago memories of dealing with those blood-thirsty sharks, and shudders.

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Finished with Chapter 4. I'm on holiday right now so I'm hoping to update at least twice for all my stories. If not, once then! Hope you enjoyed!

And yes, that is the Shadow King, Ootori Kyoya from Ouran High Host Club by Bisco Hatori! He's little Naruto's financial advisor. Fun yeah?

12/17/11


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Do I really need to put this? If so, then here goes: I do not own any animes including Naruto!

FYI: I live in the United States and am so used to its monetary system rather than Japan's. I have no idea how to convert cost from American to Japanese costs, so I'm sticking with American monetary system. So don't be freaked out if you see dollars in the story!

I Know! It's been a while! Putting this chapter up before I forget! Meant to do it a couple of days ago, but Thanksgiving was hectic!

**Check out my newest poll for my newest story "**_**Ripples in the Ocean"**_** – A HARRY POTTER/NARUTO XOVER**

"This is normal conversation."

_These are thoughts._

**Bijuu (demon) voices/speaking/thoughts**

Enjoy!

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=============+++++Chapter 5+++++================

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The heat was getting more intense and it was only June. Naruto had just had her meeting with Kyoya-nii to discuss her portfolio. Apparently, he wanted her to take an active part in her finances. Little did she realize it, but Kyoya was actually helping her reading, writing, and mathematical skills as well. Kyoya did not bother with baby words and had little patience for ignorance, which caused Naruto to study on her own or seek out advice from either the Hokage or Kyoya himself whenever she was confused. As a result, her reading and writing skills were on par with someone several years older than her and her math skills was on par with someone twice her age. Naruto massaged her hand as she tried to work out the cramps. _I can't believe that Kyoya-nii is also making me practice calligraphy as well!_ Naruto grumbled as she remembered their first lessons and him making her sit properly and write correctly.

As Naruto made her way down the street, she noticed a girl looking lost. Mentally, Naruto started to catalogue the girl's appearance. _Expensive clothes yet simple for a child, well-groomed, and oh what's this? Pale pupil-less Eyes? Must be a Hyuuga by the looks of it_. Noticing that the girl looked a bit more depressed, Naruto decided to make her way to her.

"Hi!" Naruto said perkily. The Hyuuga jumped and looked at her. Naruto was currently wearing her ever present mask, this time dark blue, and her hair was tied back in a short, low ponytail. Dark blue shorts and a burnt orange shirt with blue sandals on. Add in a short-sleeved red vest and this was her outfit for the day. "I saw you standing around looking all sad so I came over."

The Hyuuga child, who looked around Naruto's age, clasped her hands together and poked her two index fingers at each other. She mumbled something that Naruto couldn't make out.

Never one able to resist helping out another, Naruto coaxed the girl to speak louder.

"Um…I'm lost. I just wanted to get some takoyaki but…I don't know where I'm at."

Naruto grinned and clapped her hands. The Hyuuga girl jumped up and looked at her hesitantly.

"I love takoyaki! It's my second favorite food after ramen! Nothing can beat ramen though. At least not that I've seen so far!" Naruto smiled, not that anyone could see, but the outline of it could be slightly noticed. "Wait here alright?"

Before the Hyuuga could say anything, Naruto left and returned not three minutes later with two orders of the octopus dumplings. "I got one for both of us. Here you go!"

The Hyuuga, after some prodding and prompting, grabbed it and thanked the sunny-haired girl. Naruto decided to lead the Hyuuga back to her clan compound. She decided to fill the silence with some of her trademark chatter.

"I'm an orphan and when I'm not with my Kyoya-nii, Jiji, or at the Ramen Stand, I explore Konoha. I'm Naruto..Uzumaki Naruto! At your service!"

The other girl smiled softly. "I'm Hyuuga, Hinata."

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After that day, Hinata and Naruto would meet up at the park every Monday and Wednesday to play tag or watch the clouds. Before leading Hinata back to her clan compound, the two would order takoyaki at a small stand near the park. The Takoyaki Stand wouldn't refuse to service Naruto because unknown to many, save for a select few, it was also one of the establishments that Kazuma Arashi was invested in. Before Arashi's investment, the Dumpling Stand was failing a bit, and when 'he' offered his assistance, the main stipulation of their contract was that they could not refuse service to any without an extremely just reason. And so, Naruto became one of their regular customers. Over the months as Naruto balanced herself between homemade meals, the ramen stand, takoyaki stand, the clientele and workers of both stands became used to her comings and goings. Habituation and familiarity helped Naruto have one more place that welcomed her…only 95% of Konoha to go. Not that she knew it of course.

It was now August and Naruto and Hinata were becoming steadfast friends. Hiashi Hyuuga would have frowned upon the two's friendship if the Hokage himself hadn't remarked how nice it was to see the two children interact and play with each other. And so, the leader of the Hyuuga allowed his eldest to play with the Kyuubi-holder. But when the second Monday of August came, Naruto went to the park only to find that Hinata wasn't there. She waited all day and shrugged sadly when her friend didn't come. Wednesday came and went and Hinata still had not visited the park. Now, curious and worried, Naruto made her way to the Hyuuga compound on Thursday morning. The other Hyuugas were used to the blonde and Naruto recognized the two on guard at the gate.

She approached them cautiously. "Ano, Aizen-san, Roshi-san, is Hinata-chan ok? She didn't go to the park all week."

The two guards frowned and looked at each other. Both of them shuffled uncomfortably.

Aizen said gruffly, "The Hyuuga compound is under lockdown. No one is allowed to enter or leave."

Naruto frowned under her mask. "Why?"

The guards shifted uncomfortably again. This time it was Roshi who spoke. "Perhaps it would be best to ask the Hokage, Uzumaki-san." And the two guardsmen quieted once more, looking like the statues that their pale complexions and pupil-less eyes made them seem like.

Naruto huffed. She didn't understand why they just didn't outright tell her what was going on, but decided that she might as well go to Jiji to catch up anyway.

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At the Hokage Tower.

It took a bit of convincing, but Naruto was able to haggle her way into meeting with the Hokage. Of course, the intimidating Anbu on guard helped her plead her case by glaring at the receptionist. The poor woman was shivering under Tora-san's glare and practically shoved Naruto towards the door.

Naruto entered the Hokage's room and waited for him to put down his paperwork before asking him what was going on. Hiruzen sighed and puffed on his pipe.

"As you may have heard, Kumo had sent an ambassador here for peace talks. On Sunday, the ambassador had signed the papers and stayed over at the Hyuuga compound. Unfortunately, none of us realized that he had planned to kidnap one of the Hyuuga children."

What could be seen of Naruto's face paled. She had a niggling suspicion that Hinata was involved and said as much to the Hokage. A sad smile appeared on his face. He was proud of her deduction skills but saddened at what had occurred over the past week.

"That is correct. The Kumo ambassador had tried to kidnap Hinata-san late Sunday night. Her father was able to hear her muffled screams and saved her. In the process, he killed the assailant with a Jyuuken strike to the heart. Kumo is furious and demands reparations. The Hyuuga are on lockdown while we sort everything out. We are in the middle of hashing out an agreement."

Naruto looked at the man she considered her grandfather closely. And frowned as she noticed what he wasn't saying out loud. _The talks aren't going favorable for Konoha. _Feeling a little saddened at the revelation, Naruto decided to change to topic instead to inconsequential matters. Hiruzen's spirits lifted slightly as he realized her obvious efforts.

It wouldn't be until November before Hinata was allowed to play in the park with Naruto again. Only the girl was quieter and more restrained than before. Kumo had demanded payment and received it in the body of Hyuuga Hizashi, younger twin of Hiashi. The illusion that Konoha was all powerful faded just a bit for the two girls.

Naruto smiled sadly but tried to treat her friend all the same in order to try to cheer up Hinata. However things weren't the same. No longer were they allowed to play by themselves. An older Hyuuga would watch over them as they played in the park or mimicked their older ninja counterparts. And another piece of childhood innocence was lost. One lost a relative. The other realized that there is much more to the shinobi world that she had realized.

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So here' Hinata! Yay. Naruto is now Five years old! She's older than Hinata by a couple of months actually! At least I think so…Not sure how I want to warp the timeline and birthdays of all/some of the characters!

Hope you enjoyed

Read and Review. Reviews are always nice! Please no flames. Even though it's pretty cold down here! Anyway! Hope you enjoyed and liked it!

Updated 11/26/12

P.S. Go check out my poll! It refers to my newest story, "Ripples in the Ocean"- a HarryPotter/Naruto XOver.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: Do I really need to put this? If so, then here goes: I do not own any animes including Naruto! How many more times do I have to say this before it sinks in?!

FYI: I live in the United States, and so, am used to its monetary system rather than Japan's. I have no idea how to convert cost from American to Japanese costs, so I'm sticking with American monetary system. So don't be freaked out if you see dollars in the story!

Warning! I won't be reviewing until after the Xmas holidays. There is a cliffhanger at the end of this chapter. So…just let you know now!

"This is normal conversation."

_These are thoughts._

**Bijuu (demon) voices/speaking/thoughts**

Enjoy!

-Into the Abyss….Chapter 6-

December 21 XX05

The sun shone through the light curtains and into the room. The sole occupant rubbed her eyes and had little trouble waking up. Naruto barely looked like she had any sleep. She shuddered as she remembered parts of the nightmare. Falling buildings and screams were aplenty in front of a burning background. A large shape could be seen in the background but no matter how hard Naruto tried, she couldn't make out exactly what it was. The same dream had been plaguing her sleep since the beginning of December. It was now December 21 and Naruto's night had been punctuated with dreamless slumber and alternated with a screaming Konoha.

After going through her daily routine, Naruto hurriedly packed up the box lunch that she had made for Hinata and herself and rushed out the door. Today was supposed to be a fairly warm day considering the fact that it was winter. Of course, they were in Fire Country so the chance of snow was definitely as a minimum.

As Naruto made her way to their meeting place, a slow sort of tingling was running down her neck. Not a good type of tingling either. The feeling progressed and intensified as the child walked down a fairly empty street. Only a few other people were on the street but no one paid attention to her. The feeling turned chilly as a large cloud moved to cover the sun. A dark shadow made the street even dark. **Duck!** The intense voice screamed in her head and Naruto automatically ducked and rolled to the side. It wasn't very graceful, but it worked. Naruto glanced and paled as she noticed several senbon lodged in the ground where her head would have been.

Naruto looked around but didn't notice anyone suspicious. She hesitated. To go meet Hinata, go to Jiji to tell him what happened, to go home? _I'll go to Jiji and tell him what happened. He'll probably send someone with me to go meet Hinata._ Naruto decided. She grabbed the senbon carefully and made her way to the Hokage in a quick manner that hopefully didn't seem too suspicious.

-Hokage Tower-

Sarutobi took a puff off his pipe. The news that Naruto had just given him made him contemplative. In the privacy of his office, the Sandaime wondered who was interfering this time. Danzo was busy with Ne. The civilians were getting ready for Christmas, and other shinobi were focused on missions.

He had gotten one of his Anbu to escort his charge to visit the Hyuuga heiress. That was another issue he needed to think about. Only a couple of months had passed since the Kumo incident and tensions within the esteemed clan was still a little bit high. What worried him most was that several of his undercover reports revealed that the Uchiha clan and Hyuuga clans were sort of at odds with one another. It seems that Fugaku was just a tad bit more smug than usual whenever he was around Hiashi.

_After all, the Sharingan is considered the ultimate dojutsu. And they would never had let someone try to kidnap one of their children._ The Sandaime sneered softly to himself. He didn't mind bloodlines and was especially proud of the noble families that aligned themselves with Konoha. Sometimes, though, he couldn't help but wonder just why the Uchiha had such large egos. Sarutobi sighed to himself.

"Antisocial, stuck-up, and egotistic shinobi…just the thing I was hoping for when I reclaimed the hat," Sarutobi muttered to himself. He said softly to the empty room, "Minato, this should have been your job."

-Back with Naruto-

"Bye Neko-chan!" Naruto waved to the Anbu leaving. Hinata was waiting patiently with her usual bodyguard, Aizen, for Naruto to say her goodbyes. Today would be the last day that Hinata would be able to see Naruto until after the New Year and both girls were hoping to spend the remaining time just having fun.

"Ano, what do you want to do, Naruto-chan?" Hinata asked shyly. It was too cold to go swimming, but too sunny play outside for too long without getting overheated. Of course, that's not a problem for the two ninja-to-be, but that's beside the point…going on…

"Mmm…,"Naruto mused, "Ah! How about we go to Hokage Mountain!"

Hinata looked worriedly at her friend. Hokage Mountain was good and all, but there was nothing to really do there but see Konoha at a large view. A small, barely noticeable disgruntled look showed on Hinata's face, and Naruto was able to discern her thoughts.

"Never mind. How about we go Christmas shopping instead?" Naruto asked. "I still have a couple of people to buy for!"

Hinata thought for a moment before agreeing. She too needed to buy a gift for her father, little sister, and older cousin Neji. This way it would be more convenient without her father looking over her shoulder. Hinata and Naruto had agreed not to give each other gifts but rather spent time eating takoyaki instead.

So the two girls went shopping. Hinata was happy that she actually had someone to ask opinions on for certain objects while Naruto knew she wouldn't be mistreated or overcharged in the presence of the young Hyuuga heiress and her guard for the day.

After shopping, the two girls ate their bento lunches and then proceeded to go their separate ways. Naruto decided to check up on her garden, even though it was winter, and made some preserves and jams out of the few fruits she was able to collect. She hurriedly took a shower and then wrapped her gifts for the Hokage and Kyoya-nii. Naruto frowned to herself as she looked at the pitiful amount of wrapped gifts. _I can count the number of my precious people on one hand. It feels so lonely sometimes._

A deep voice rumbled, **"Then how about you come visit me?"** Naruto jerked her head up. She looked around her room and saw no one. The blonde shook her head. "I must be more tired from that senbon incident and shopping than I thought."

She chuckled softly to herself before deciding to take a nap. As she lay down on her bed, she felt a bit weird…well weirder than usual. A sudden jerk from her stomach, navel?, made Naruto feel like she was falling. Falling into a never-ending pit. Never stopping at all. Until she landed abruptly. Wait what? Naruto shook herself. Gathering herself and her thoughts, Naruto stood up and looked around. When she looked behind herself, she paled.

Naruto recognized the figure standing tall and high behind bars. "Kyuubi no Kitsune."

A long and sharp row of teeth showed. **"Welcome, my jailor."**

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Yay! So Naruto finally meets her prisoner! What does the Kyuubi want with her?! Is it good, bad, naughty, or all of above? Is the Kyuubi male or female? Hungry or sleepy? What's with all these questions?!

Hope you enjoyed this latest installment!

Updated 11/27/12

Thanks to all those that had voted on my poll to help with my other story, **Ripples in the Ocean.**

**Note: **__ I won't be updating anymore stories until after the Xmas Holidays due to Finals and stuff. Have fun without me for a while. Hopefully, I don't take that year off again…


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